


Secret Identity

by Pickledpumpkinpoppers (Stormrace)



Category: DCU, The Flash (Comics), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Female Barry Allen, Female Flash, Female Wally West, Gen, Genderbending, male Iris West
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 01:18:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18377993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormrace/pseuds/Pickledpumpkinpoppers
Summary: Poor timing leads to Flash accidentally revealing her biggest secret to her little niece.





	Secret Identity

Wally, getting her to respond to her real name had become a lost cause, lost her mind the first time she saw Flash in the street, and was even more blown away when Berry “introduced” them. The Flash was the greatest hero ever in her eyes, and the little president of the Blue Valley Flash Fan Club couldn't have had a bigger idol, though Berry did learn that she was a distant third from that place of honour in the impressionable child’s eyes. Berry never intended for Wally to find out about her being the Flash, not that revealing it to Ira had ever been the plan, because Wally was so young and didn't deserve that kind of secret on her shoulders. She never intended it to happen! But, even the most resolved intentions often get violently derailed.

When Berry agreed to buy a house with Ira, she hadn't exactly given much thought to how often Wally would be visiting them in Central City, or just how difficult it would be to remember to constantly remember not to go throughout the house in costume and visible whenever Wally was there. There were dozens of near misses, until that one, terrible hit.

It was late, it had been a busy week of constantly going back and forth between jobs, major prison breaks were the worst, and she hadn't had much time to think about anything unrelated to getting people behind bars again. When she got home, she had completely forgotten about summer vacation and the impending visit, she pulled back her cowl and immediately went to raid the fridge.

She and Ira had chosen this house because of how private it was, so Berry typically enjoyed winding down a little before taking off the suit and washing up. She’d been doing it for months, and was fully comfortable anywhere in the house, knowing that no one could see her from the outside.

She sauntered across the kitchen floor and opened the fridge door in search of a light snack, reached in to grab a bottle of an electrolyte replenishing beverage, and saw movement out of the corner of her eye. By the time she fully looked over, it was already too late. Recognition was lighting those green eyes, mouth was dropping open and fingers were letting go of the glass half full of water. There was no denying this, there was no undoing it, so Berry figured she might as well save the dish before going upstairs to wake Ira.

She put the glass, not a drop spilling from it, on the counter and raised a finger to her lips. Her first, and only, thought, was to get Wally to stay quiet until Berry was able to stop panicking about the secret being so badly blown five years before intended.

“You- You're- You're-“

“Shh! Sh! Sh!” Berry caught her by the forearm, “Wally, I need you to stay quiet and go sit on the couch while I go get your uncle up.”

Wally obeyed, though she looked just about ready to self combust at any given second in her excitement at finding out two of her three favourite people were one and the same. Berry made sure she was sitting, then raced up to her bedroom

“Ira!” she hissed, “Ira! Ira, Wally caught me!”

“What?”

“Wally, she saw me in the suit!”

“You were wearing it inside?” Ira was up and heading to the door, “How could you do that?”

“I forgot she was coming, and it's nearly one in the morning! She shouldn't have been up!”

“Right. Okay. We'll go down and explain, like we would have in a few years anyways. It's not going to be a big deal. She's a good kid, she adores you, so it won't take much to get her to keep it a secret. I mean, seven-year-old’s can keep secrets. They are old enough to do that.”

Berry was skeptical, none of the kids Wally’s age she knew could keep something so big quiet, but maybe, hopefully, this would be the one exception to that.

“You're the Flash! You're the Flash!” Wally was bouncing.

“Yeah. Yeah, Wally. I’m the Flash.”

Berry sat down, feeling weak and terrified because this wasn't supposed to happen! Wally was supposed to be asleep! Most of the questions that raced out of Wally didn't register in Berry’s head. She was busy down her own trail of thoughts that were going everywhere and nowhere until Ira elbowed her and she realized Wally had stopped talking.

“Okay,” she took a deep breath, “So, now you know. Because you know, you are apart of a very special group of people that I need to be able to trust more than anything to keep this secret. You see, because I’m the Flash, I meet some very dangerous and very cruel people. These bad people look for any way to hurt me, and if they knew who I really am, they would try to hurt me by hurting your uncle and you. So, I need you to promise me that you will never, ever tell anyone that you know who I am, or that you even know the Flash.”

“I promise, I won’t tell anyone ever! Not even if they tickle-tortured me!” Wally declared, as seriously as a child her age could possibly be.

“Really? I might have to test that.”

“No, no, no, Aunt Berry!” Berry didn't give Wally the chance to even get off the couch before she had her caught and shrieking in squirmy laughter.

“Alright you both,” Ira stood up after a few minutes, “It's late and we all have to be up early tomorrow. Wally, back up to bed.”

“Aww, you big spoil sport,” Berry made a face at him, but set his niece on her feet anyways, “Have a good sleep, kiddo.”

Wally scowled and then started to make no rush to get up the stairs. Berry watched her head up the stairs and inwardly fought to not break the firm “no running at superspeed in the house” rule to speed Wally into bed as a last little bit of fun.

“Berry?” Ira looked ready to follow Wally up the stairs.

“I’ll be up in a minute. I just want to get a snack,” Ira nodded and headed up the stairs.

Berry sat where she was for a minute, suddenly feeling her exhaustion, and let out a deep breath of anxiety. That had gone better than expected, but Wally was seven! Of course she was going to be willing to promise not to say a word, but it was bound to slip out! Wally wouldn't mean to, but she would still say something and the secret would be out! Berry would be fired from her job, the Rogues would attack the Wests and Berry wouldn't be able to help because she would be locked up in Iron Heights waiting for her trial!

Or that wouldn't happen at all! Berry inwardly kicked herself. Wally was smart and determined, she wouldn't tell. Everything was fine. Everything would stay fine. Maybe she could convince the league to help her erase- No! That was an awful thing to think! There was no messing with anyone's memory allowed! Everything would be fine!

Berry kept telling herself that as she ate her late night snack, showered and slipped into bed. Maybe if she told herself that enough, she would start to believe it.

END


End file.
